Educate me on holiday gifts for teachers...

howleyshell

What's the "norm" for holiday gifts for teachers?  (please share specifics - what do you usually get them)

Does it change if your child is in a team teaching situation (more to buy for)?

Does it change as your kids get older?   Stop?   

 

Educate me please!!! 

GinandTonic

The last two years, DS was in preschool and had a teacher and an aide.  I gave them each 20 dollar GCs to Target - and cookies. 

I'll probably do the same this year - he only has one main teacher, the aide rotates through the Kindergartens (although maybe not Target, maybe Barnes and Noble).

 I give DD's daycare quite a bit more.  It's two sisters and last year, I gave them $100 for Cheesecake Factory (granted, they had DS for some of that year, maybe I'll give them less this year).

It must stop - I have no idea.  But I certainly didn't give my middle school teacher presents (in fact, I really have no recollection of giving presents to my teachers at all - this must be something new).

sara_c

Last yr for preschool- I gave the teacher and the main teachers aid (both were in the classroom every day) GC to Target.  I believe it was $10 each.  Then I sent some mixed nuts for everyone to share (b/c I knew the other specialists rotated in and out of the classroom)

Another mom in J's class just brought in mini loafs of a bread she had baked- one for each.  She included a jar of hot cocoa mix for each of the teachers as well. 

MrsSR

I'm a teacher and I get all sorts of gifts.  Some give neat ornaments, others give baked goods, some give jewelry, candles, or bath items.

However, my favorite things to get are giftcards to places like Target, Walmart, or some place in the mall.  Borders cards are okay, but I already have so many books that I don't have room anymore.  Starbucks cards are okay, but I don't drink coffee, so they don't get used very often.

At the end of the school year, parents were giving me cards for baby places since I was pregnant and that was really nice. 

Read2Me

When I was teaching I always asked parents to donate a book to the classroom rather than giving me a gift.  There are only so many teacher ornaments one can fit on a tree!    Gift cards are great thought too.

Surfinbride

A card and gift is a great way to acknowledge the amazing contribution that a teacher makes to your child's life.

They deserve so much. Some schools do a binder with teacher information. I really think that they put them together for gift-giving ideas... but, it's under the guise of "getting to know your teachers and staff". It usually has the teacher's favorite things - hobbies, sports, if they have kids, if they have pets, where they like to vacation, favorite color... and, ta-da, favorite stores.

We always do a gift card to one of the teacher's favorite stores. It doesn't seem personal enough, so we do a handmade card. We usually put the gift card inside of some small token, like a Christmas decoration, an ornament, stuffed animal or candle.

We do small gifts (usually candy and a card) for the bus driver, music teacher, art teacher, gym teachers, office staff, etc. What do other people do for them? I feel kind of badly that we don't do anything great for them. If I had more $, I sure would.

 

DandelionMom

If the class room moms don't organize a group gift (the kind where everyone chips in $10 for a gift card and poinsetta) then I just give a $10-20 (Starbucks or Target) gc with a card my daughters make. 

neverblushed

I am a teacher, but I teach in a Jewish school.  Still, I get holiday/Hanukkah/Christmas presents from a good handful of my students.  I teach middle and high school, and the presents usually come from middle school parents who are still in the habit.  When my DD goes to middle school next year, I will only give gifts to teachers if she feels especially close to a particular teacher.

My favorites are always:

gift cards

food

There are only so many candles, lotions, and picture frames I can take! 

For my kids' teachers, I usually bake bread.  That way I can give to every teacher without breaking the bank, so the question of whether to give to teaching assistants never gets ugly.  My kids get the sense that their teachers really like the homemade bread. And, really, if you're going to bake, it's not THAT much harder to bake 4 loaves than it is a single loaf. 

I figure, if they're not a fan of bread, their families can eat it, or they can use it if they entertain.  If they're going out of town, they can just pop the loaf in the freezer. 

Halo79RN

dc go to a preschool at a college.  so there is a main teacher and 2-3 graduate assistants in each class.  Now that ds is going , I have 2 teacher and 5 grad assistants to buy for. ack! 

the teachers,  I usually give a $25 giftcard to Barnes and Noble, last year I did one that could be used at 4 specific restaurants... so they had an option.  

the GAs, get $15 in past, but probably $10 this year b/c there are so many of them....  I usually do Starbucks for them, b/c there's a Starbucks on campus, so they can get a snack and a coffee or something while studying.

then we make something.  cookies... last year we did the applesauce ornaments... this year we're doing peppermint bark.  so each with get a little bag of peppermint bark and then the giftcard.  

my mom was a teacher and she used to get such crap... people were being very thoughtful and kind... but the mugs, the holiday sweaters, the ornaments.. the angels. OMG.  too much!   I say something edible and a giftcard.   

hammerb44

I teach middle school social studies, so I am just one of a few teachers on a team.  I have about 80 students, and of those 80 around 10 get me a gift, sometimes just being a card.  I am always so appreciative of anything since I realize at this age, they have a few teachers to buy for, not just one!